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IKEA And Ólafur Elíasson Team Up For Solar-Powered Gadgets

The acclaimed Danish-Icelandic artist will be collaborating with IKEA for his solar power project, Little Sun, in the hopes it might help people live off the grid, or at least reduce their energy consumption.

Quartz reports that Ólafur popped by IKEA headquarters last week, announcing the launch of the project.

“We can amplify our message through the muscles of IKEA,” Ólafur told reporters. “We’re excited about the robustness of the research, the talent, the material sourcing and the science that is inside of IKEA.”

Little Sun’s solar-powered lamps have been distributed across 10 sub-Saharan African countries, providing indoor light for people with an otherwise tenuous access to stable electricity. With the involvement of IKEA, it is hoped that Little Sun lamps will also reach those who choose to go without electricity for a while.

“‘Off-grid’ doesn’t just apply to places that [the power] grid hasn’t reached,” Ólafur said. “It’s also about having a choice like ‘I’m going to take a break—no phones, no cameras—and have a little bit of solar energy in my pocket.'”

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